Chelmsford – A 35 minute trip from London

Overview

Welcome to Chelmsford, the charming gem nestled in the heart of Essex, just a stone’s throw from London. Chelmsford was awarded its city status in 2012 so has everything that is expected of a 21st Century city, set within a modern environment full of charm and character. Just a 35 minute train ride away from London, Chelmsford is a lively, vibrant city with plenty to do.

Explore the campus before you arrive with our guided tour below. Click on each tile, from start to finish, to reveal an exciting part of ARU Chelmsford as presented to you by two of our Student Ambassadors. Once you’re done, why not chat with a current student living in Chelmsford with The Ambassador Platform, or read more about life in the city.

Chelmsford Campus Experience

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Chat to an ARU Chelmsford student

Speak with a current ARU student who has completed a Foundation Year or International First Year on our Chelmsford campus. Get some inside knowledge and first hand experiences of the campus and the city.

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What's it like in Chelmsford?

Chelmsford is something of a hidden gem and many international students may not have heard of the city which is why we are outlining 10 reasons why you should consider Chelmsford as your study destination.

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Chelmsford campus

The Chelmsford campus is home to one of the largest business schools in the East of England, based in the award-winning Lord Ashcroft Building. It is also home to Arise Chelmsford, an innovation centre to support businesses that are just starting out. it brings together academics, researchers, entrepreneurs and students. Another great thing about our business school is the Bloombergs Financial Markets Labs. Where students are able to run simulations for real life financial market data. Experiment and build your confidence in a platform used by financial professionals in the real world.

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What’s on in Chelmsford?

Nightlife

Chelmsford has a bustling nightlife with a number of bars, pubs and clubs to check out. The majority of these are just a short walk from the campus, so they’re easily accessible and a great place to make new friends. The city also hosts an impressive range of events across the year, including Fling music festival, the Chelmsford Beer and Cider festival and Essex’s very own Okotberfest.

Food and Drink

Chelmsford has all kinds of delicious restaurants for you to enjoy. If you’re a fan of trying independent eateries, you can check out some great places like Olios Italian or tonnes of other interesting restaurants serving a variety of cuisines. There’s also the fan favourites like Wagamamas, Five Guys and Nandos, so no matter what your tastes Chelmsford has you covered.

Activities

Chelmsford has one of the oldest canoe clubs in the country. Established in 1946 it has around 400 members and again the team runs introductory courses in the spring and summer for newcomers to give it a try. On weekends, Chelmsford Park Run sees hundreds of locals of all different abilities running every Saturday morning at Central Park. If you’re not familiar with Park Runs, this is a free to join, 5km run that takes place in parks across the UK.